Emma Raducanu’s preparation for the Australian Open has been somewhat unconvincing, but she clearly boasts the talent to impress in Melbourne.
After all, in 2025, she proved her ability to compete with the world’s very best, twice coming close to upsetting the world number one Aryna Sabalenka on huge stages.
Alas, the fact that she fell short shows that she is not quite there yet, and Francisco Roig will have been working hard to find a solution that can help bridge the gap between the WTA Tour’s elite and Emma Raducanu.
Over the years, the British number one has experienced a damagingly regular turnover in her coaching box, leading to instability that has likely not helped her career.
The hope is that, with Roig alongside her for the long haul, she can finally start building towards a sustainable and successful future. Laura Robson is certainly backing that to be the case.
Laura Robson gives her thoughts on Emma Raducanu and Francisco Roig
Speaking to The Express, the revered tennis pundit offered her insight into the relationship shared between Roig and Raducanu.
Robson confidently began by claiming: “They definitely get on really well.”
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She explained why: “There were a couple of team lunches and he was always making fun of how many cups of tea the British players were drinking every day.
“He’s got a great sense of humour and they just get on. They’ve got very similar tennis brains, I would say. They both enjoy diving into the tactics, quite technical as well.
“I think she likes that they have that mutual respect and conversation.”
Robson finished by predicting it to be a long and fruitful relationship, concluding: “I can see it lasting for hopefully a good while and I’m sure she feels the same.”
Roig was heard shouting one key instruction to Raducanu during her recent loss, and it will be interesting to see whether she can translate that into success at the Australian Open.
Mats Wilander rates Emma Raducanu’s chances at the Australian Open
With another potential third-round showdown with Sabalenka in the offing, few are expecting big things from Raducanu at this year’s Australian Open.
And, speaking to TNT Sports, Mats Wilander was particularly scathing in his assessment of the 22-year-old’s chances.
He claimed: “Well, I think she can do something like winning a couple of matches.
“I don’t expect Emma Raducanu’s game to be good enough where she can get to the quarters, semis or final because I don’t think her game is good enough, and I don’t think the preparation is there.
“I think she has the talent. I think technically she has the shots. I think the serve technically is good enough. I think in the future, she can be competing with the best players in the world, but she’s not there.”
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He did, however, back Roig to turn things around, adding: “I think Francisco Roig understands tennis as good as any person that I’ve ever met in my life, and if not, the best. So he really understands the game. He understands technique. He understands tactics. And I think it’s the perfect combination because she’s building. She’s not at the top.
“She doesn’t need one word to change her tennis around. She needs a whole book to read out of. And Francisco can write that book for her, and it can really help her.”
